Subject: Re: Us skinheads??  NAH!!!
Newsgroups: alt.gothic

Thus saith Christabel La Motte the Unworthy, in the Year of Our Lord 6 Aug 1996 05:30:17 GMT :
> Strangely enough, it seems that the freakier I look, the less odd
> reactions I get. I can be running around downtown alone in the middle
> of the night in tattered skimpy black, tons o' makeup, etc., and end
> up having nice conversations with little old ladies. I run home from
> work on my lunch break, no makeup, hair pulled back, GLASSES, and
> plain dark clothes, and THAT'S when I get people shying away and
> "Where's the funeral?" shouted at me.

I've noticed something similar (though not as pronounced).  Perhaps it is
that "pigeon-hole" factor.  When dressed up, you are obviously a "freak"
and therefore are behaving "normally" for that particular stereotype.
People can then go from there and decide how to deal with you as a person.

When you dress down; you don't really fit in a nice little shelf-space
preconception.  You appear to be a "normal"; but you don't look/act quite
the way you should for that stereotype; and people are unsure how to
react, so they treat you as an anomaly.

While you fit in with a certain stereotype; people can adjust their
reactions accordingly.  But when you don't, they run out of catagories, 
and therefore "proper" response patterns to use.  It breaks them out of
their "comfort zone" to have to deal with the unusual and unexpected.

This is why things like racism, homophobia, etc. tend to be more prevalent
in communities which have little contact with minorities, homosexuals,
etc.  Lack of exposure; therefore, no way to build up definitions based on
anything other than fear and discomfort (since we as a species do fear the
unknown).

Hardrock